Show ContentsManner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Manner is a name that was carried to England in the great wave of migration from Normandy following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Manner family lived in Mesnieres a small village in France near Roen and was "granted probably temp. Rollo (c. 846-c.932) to Mainer, a Viking ancestor. It was held as half a knight's fee temp. Philip Augustus by the Abbey of Lyre. The family of Mesnieres long continued in Normandy, Ralph and Roger de Mesieres being mentioned 1198 and William de Mesieres in 1232, whose descendants continued to be of consequence till c. 1400 when the male line ceased." [1] Another source confirms the probably Norman ancestry: "From Menoir, and that from the Latin Manere, to stay or to abide. Lands granted to some military man or Baron by the king, a custom brought in by the Normans." [2]

Early Origins of the Manner family

The surname Manner was first found in Northumberland where Sir Robert Manners was one of the first on record, when he held land in Northumberland in 1165, and it is suggested that the village Mannor near Lanchester in neighboring Durham was named from the family. "According to Camden and other antiquaries, this noble family had their denomination from the village of Mannor, near Lanchester, co. Durham. They were certainly influential in the northern counties, and Collins traces the name to a William de Manner, who flourished temp. William Rufus. The pedigree is deduced by him from Sir Robert de Manners, lord of Etal in Northumberland, several generations anterior to the reign of Henry III." [3] The first Sir Robert de Manners born (c. 1038) was probably born in Ethdale, Northumberland. He is the progenitor of a long list of sons with the same name.

Early History of the Manner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Manner research. Another 157 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1324, 1327, 1340, 1488, 1525, 1543, 1559, 1587, 1588, 1604, 1638, 1640, 1641, 1676, 1679, 1696, 1697, 1703, 1711, 1721, 1772 and 1779 are included under the topic Early Manner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Manner Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Manner include Manners, Maners, Manner and others.

Early Notables of the Manner family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Thomas Manners (c.1488-1543), son of the 12th Baron de Ros of Hamlake, who was created Earl of Rutland in 1525 - this was the second creation of this title, which has remained with the Manners, ever s...
  • John Manners (c.1559-1588), the 4th Earl of Rutland and Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire (1587-1588)
  • John Manners, 8th Earl of Rutland (1604-1679), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 until 1641
  • John Manners (1638-1711), Duke of Rutland in 1703
  • John Manners, 2nd Duke of Rutland KG (1676-1721)
  • John Manners, 3rd Duke of Rutland (1696-1779)


United States Manner migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Manners to arrive on North American shores:

Manner Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Adrian Manner, who arrived in Virginia in 1638 [4]
  • Marg Manner, who landed in Virginia in 1654 [4]
Manner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Christoph Manner, who landed in America in 1780 [4]
Manner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • M A Manner, who arrived in America in 1843 [4]
  • Miss Anna Manner, (Marnes), aged 32, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1847 aboard the ship "Chas. N. Cooper"

Australia Manner migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Manner Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • William Manner, who arrived in Port Misery aboard the ship "Duchess of Northumberland" in 1839 [5]
  • Sally Manner, who arrived in Port Misery aboard the ship "Duchess of Northumberland" in 1839 [5]
  • Margaret Manner, who arrived in Port Misery aboard the ship "Duchess of Northumberland" in 1839 [5]
  • David Manner, who arrived in Port Misery aboard the ship "Duchess of Northumberland" in 1839 [5]
  • Rebecca Manner, who arrived in Port Misery aboard the ship "Duchess of Northumberland" in 1839 [5]

Contemporary Notables of the name Manner (post 1700) +

  • Carl Manner (1929-2017), Austrian Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Josef Manner & Comp. AG

Bismarck
  • Kurt Männer (1920-1941), German Maschinengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking [6]


The Manner Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Pour y parvenir
Motto Translation: To accomplish it


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  5. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) THE DUCHESS OF NORTHUMBERLAND - 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839DuchessOfNorthumberland.htm
  6. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details


Houseofnames.com on Facebook